Joy of Service

obituaries
BAKUNOFF Jr., VICTOR J., 85, born
Sept. 5, 1930 in Pittsburgh, PA, died Sept. 22,
2015 in Apopka, FL. He was a member of the
Forest Lake Church in Apopka for 17 years.
He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Cookie;
two sons: Victor III, (Bernadette) of Princeton,
NJ, and Robert (Carol) of Galloway,
NJ; one daughter, Tori of Apopka; one stepson,
Howard (Judy) Marx of Acworth, GA;
two step-daughters: Tammy (Chip) Brinfield
of Williamstown, NJ, and Sherry (Mark)
Birchard of Lake City, FL; 11 grandchildren;
and one great-grandchild. The memorial service
was conducted by Pastors Denise Badger
and Ward Gros at the Inspire Sabbath Grace
Fellowship Church in Apopka. Interment was
at National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL.
BREETZKE, DENIS, 79, of Ooltewah, TN,
died Dec. 23, 2015 in a local hospital.
BROWN, RUBYE H., 85, born July 27,
1930 in Elaine, AR, died Dec. 29, 2015 in
Memphis, TN. She was educated in the local
elementary school and graduated from
Lakeview High School. She attended Arkansas
AM&N University (now the University
of Arkansas) in Pine Bluff, AR, for a short
period in 1950. There she met her future husband,
Herbert Eugene Brown Sr., and they
were married on March 17, 1951. The couple
lived in various cities in the south while
Herbert was enlisted in the United States
Army. In Savannah, GA, they heard the Advent
message during a tent effort conducted
by Elder Joseph Winston, and subsequently
were baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist
Church in Oct. 1952. They relocated to
Memphis, TN, in 1953, and joined the local
Seventh-day Adventist Church, at that
time Mississippi Boulevard, which became
Alcy SDA Church, and currently Longview
Heights SDA Church. She thoroughly enjoyed
working as a hostess for a number of
years in the church, and remained a faithful
member until her death. For most of her life
she was a homemaker taking care of her four
children, whom she showered with love. After
all of the children were grown and on their
own, she worked as a medical secretary at St.
Joseph’s Hospital in Memphis, as a teacher in
the Preschool of Longview Heights Church,
and in the office of a local internist. Her hobbies
included plants (she had a super green
thumb) and ceramic painting. She is survived
by her loving husband of 64 years, Herbert
E. Brown Sr.; four children: Geraldine Brown
(Fred) Pullins of Huntsville, AL, Lana L.
Brown of Memphis, Herbert E. Brown Jr. of
Memphis, and Michael J. (Annette) Brown
of Atlanta, GA; adopted families of Isaac
and Janet Fordjour, Claude (Michelle) Jones
Jr., and Gale Jones (Williams) Murphy; 12
grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; a host
of cousins; nieces; nephews; extended family;
and friends.
CLARK SR., BOBBY, 89, born July 6,1927
in Ellisville, MS, died March 27,2016 at home
in Lamar Co., MS. He attended Pine Forest
Academy in Chunky, MS, and Forest Lake
Academy in Apopka, FL. He married Willie
Maie “Billie” Eason on July 27, 1948 in Orlando,
FL. He was a carpenter, painter, paper
hanger, and mechanic (among other things).
He lived, worked, and raised his sons in Florida,
Texas, and Mississippi. He was a deacon
in the Adventist church in Hattiesburg,
MS. He enjoyed working in his garden and
small greenhouse. He also enjoyed panning
for gold, which he did with some friends in
California and Oregon. He is survived by
his wife of 67 years, “Billie;” one son, Bobby
H. Clark Jr.; and daughter-in-law, Lenora
(Bailey) Clark of Mississippi; two grandchildren;
nine great-grandchildren; and four
great-great-grandchildren, all of Tennessee;
one brother, Bill Clark of Florida; and three
sisters: Joan Joyner of Florida, Pat Nelson of
Florida, and Clara (Glen) Boutwell of Mississippi;
lots of nieces; and nephews. He was
preceded in death by his father, Wyley Sylvester
“J.C.” Clark; his mother, Faye (Gatewood)
Clark; and one son, Benjamin R. Clark.
HUFFMAN, FREDA M. WEST, 72,
died March 7, 2016. She was a member of
the Madison Campus Church, Madison, TN.
She is survived by three sons: Michael (Lisa)
Huffman, Benjamin Huffman Sr., and Wendell
(Connie) Huffman; two sisters: Mercedes
Rudisill and Deanna (George) Stilwell; one
brother, Ralph (Judy) Melvin; four grandchildren:
Benjamin Huffman Jr., Sumner (Melvin)
Scott, James Huffman, and Ashley (Jarvis)
Stubblefield; four great-grandchildren;
many nieces; and nephews. She was preceded
in death by one brother, Gerald West; and two
sisters: Wanda and Reva West.
LEE, KENNETH EDWIN, 92, born Aug.
22, 1924, died Jan. 1, 2016 in Hendersonville,
NC. He was a member of the Fletcher Church.
He worked as a farmer and did denominational
volunteer construction work in Maine. He
also gave 10 years as a volunteer to Maranatha
Volunteers International. He is survived
by his wife, Rachel Lee of Hendersonville;
four grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
MACAULAY, DONALD G., 84, born
Feb. 11, 1932 in Lake Worth, FL, died Feb.
29, 2016 in Apopka, FL. He was a member
of the Forest Lake Church in Apopka for 40
years. He was a retired engineer. He is survived
by his wife of 60 years, Ruth; two sons:
Bob of Roswell, GA, and George of Apopka;
and two daughters: LeaBeth of Altamonte
Springs, FL, and Melissa Abernathy of Cocoa
Beach, FL; and two grandchildren.
MARTIN, DR. ARTEMIO A., 78, born
Sept. 4, 1937 in the Philippines, died Sept.
25, 2015 in Gainesville, FL. He was a member
of the Gainesville Church for 40 years.
For 25 years, Dr. Martin served the North
Central Florida community as a general surgeon
and family medicine physician before
retiring. He and his wife also operated The
Good Samaritan Retirement Home for more
than 25 years that provided quality care
to seniors and their families. He served in
active leadership as an elder in the church,
helping to build the sanctuary, and humbly
cared for the grounds of the church. The
Martins had a longstanding passion to provide
medical care in their homeland, the
Philippine Islands, to which they returned
for missionary excursions. He is survived by
his wife of 50 years, Aurora; three sons: Alexander,
Artemio Robert (Rhonda Jeanne,
Artemio Allan (Deirdre); one daughter,
Sherry Lynn (John David); five brothers:
Lemuel (Elme), Carlos (Ellen), Alfredo (Isabelita),
Benjamin (Zeny), and Florentino
(Thelma); one sister, Loida (Gino); and eight
grandchildren. The service was conducted
by Pastor Daniel Graham at the Gainesville
Church. Interment was at the Orange Hill
Cemetery in Williston, FL.
MELITI, ELIZABETH C., 88, born Oct.
22, 1927 in Trenton, NJ, died Nov. 27,
2015 in Sebring, FL. A celebration of her
life was conducted at the Avon Park, FL,
Church with a homily presented by Pastor
Frank Gonzalez. Elizabeth Piromalli
and Salvatore Meliti were married on
Nov. 15, 1947 in the Lyndhurst, NJ, Catholic
Church. About a year later, through
the influence of Sal’s oldest sister Laura,
and her husband, Pastor Sal LaRosa, they
were baptized as Seventh-day Adventists.
30 SOUTHERN TIDINGS | June 2016